


Reasons to kiss someone

by whitecrossgirl



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/M, First Kisses, Fluff, Not Canon Compliant, because its more fun that way
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29514723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitecrossgirl/pseuds/whitecrossgirl
Summary: A series of drabbles taken from a prompt list on tumblr; 50 reasons for your characters to kiss. These will be done in a random order and most will be drabble length.Chapter 4: #13 ...because no one else is looking
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Emily Prentiss
Comments: 16
Kudos: 47





	1. ... because they're safe

**Author's Note:**

> Set after Minimal Loss

_ … because they’re safe _

The compound was still engulfed in flames behind them as Emily and Reid let Morgan go back to search for survivors. All around them, members of the cult who had escaped were looking around, calling for relatives and friends, being supported towards ambulances or simply staring at the flames. JJ rushed over and quickly hugged both of them, Emily tried not to wince as JJ pressed against her bruised ribs and was relieved when Reid helped JJ let go. 

“Are you alright?” JJ asked both of them.

“We’re fine, nothing some sleep and some food won’t fix.” Emily reassured.

“Not fried chicken,” Reid added as he and JJ turned to try and co-ordinate the rescue attempts. Emily was about to limp towards the waiting EMTs to get checked over when she was stopped by someone taking her hand. Emily turned and found herself face to face with Aaron. 

“Are you OK?” Aaron asked gently. It was a softer tone than she’d ever heard before. She realised that he must have heard her being beaten by Cyrus and Morgan had quickly relayed how Rossi had had to physically stop Aaron from storming the place when she had been beaten. She had known they were listening but hadn't thought about what they would have heard. 

“I’ll be fine,” Emily replied as Aaron pulled her in for a tight hug. This was unexpected but she hugged him back. There had been an unspoken shift between the two of them, ever since the car bombing in New York. Neither of them had said anything about it but they knew that there was possibly something between them that went beyond friendship.

“I’m so glad you’re safe,” Aaron whispered in her ear and Emily knew what was going to happen before it did. It was a soft, gentle kiss, one of reassurance and care. One that said far more than words could. As they broke apart, Aaron brushed Emily’s hair out of her face before he laced her hand with his. The time for talking would come later, right now, just knowing they were safe, was enough.


	2. ...as a dare

“Truth or dare?” JJ challenged Emily as they sat in their usual booth in the packed, loud bar. They had just come back from a really challenging case and had gone to the bar to let off some steam. Garcia had demanded they play truth or dare after the third round of tequila shots. So far Reid had been dared to try and flirt with the bouncer and Morgan had been made to reveal the last time he’d had sex. Turned out, he was in the middle of a dry spell. 

“Dare, do your worst!” Emily challenged cockily; regretting it the instant she saw a flicker of wickedness flash across JJ’s face. JJ always looked sweet and innocent but there was a devilish side to her; one Emily remembered the instant JJ smirked at her. 

“I dare you to make out with Hotch!” JJ said, glancing towards the bar where Aaron and Rossi were getting the next round of drinks. Emily paused as Garcia almost choked on her drink and Reid’s eyes widened. 

“She’s not going to do it,” Morgan insisted as Emily hesitated. A dare was a dare and she could see the smugness in JJ’s eyes. She was convinced Emily wouldn’t do it. However, if there was one thing she never backed down from, it was a dare. 

“Easy.” Emily said as she downed the rest of her drink and walked over to the bar where Aaron and Rossi were waiting. She glanced back at the table to see Garcia had recovered enough to pull out her phone and video the dare. Emily tapped Aaron on the shoulder and waited for him to turn around. The instant he turned around, Emily tugged on his tie and pulled him in for a kiss. Emily smiled to herself as Aaron slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her back. After a few moments, they broke apart and Emily grinned at him before she returned to the table and smirked at the shocked team. 

“OK Jareau, let’s see if you can take it as well as dish it. Truth or dare?” 


	3. ...as an apology

“You didn’t have to walk me to the door,” Emily said quietly as they stood on her snow-covered doorstep. 

“I know,” Aaron replied. He had wanted to. He had followed her, found her outside the church, her scarlet fingers frozen around a photograph of her, Matthew and John. Back when they were carefree and unaware of how terrible the world could be. This time, he did what he should have done when she first came to him, red eyed and devastated. He had listened to her, comforted her in her grief. 

“Thank you,” Emily said quietly. “You didn’t have to do that,”

“I wanted to,” Aaron said sincerely as Emily shot him a sceptical look. 

“You contacted the Vatican. Why?” Emily asked as she leant against the door. All she wanted to do was to go inside and try and forget everything that had happened, forget all the resurfaced memories, heartache and pain. The mistakes and choices her fifteen year old self had made. 

“Because it was the right thing to do.” Aaron explained, maintaining eye contact with her. “And because I wanted to put things right for you. I was horrible to you and you didn’t deserve it. You needed a friend and I wasn’t there.”

“No you weren’t but you were at the end and when I needed you.” Emily replied.  _ Just like Matthew _ . He hadn’t been there when she had taken the pregnancy test but he had been there for everything afterwards. He held her hand in the doctor’s, at Mass, up until she went back to the States. If only they had stayed in contact instead of just making those empty promises of teenagers who thought that adulthood was years away and that it would be possible to be friends forever. 

“I’m still sorry,” Aaron said as he stepped forward and hugged Emily. He could tell it was the right thing to do as she latched onto him and he felt her shake against him. Not just from the cold. “Take a few days, look after yourself.”

“Thanks, I might do that,” Emily admitted. Before he could stop himself, Aaron pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It was barely anything, just a brush of his lips but it spoke volumes. Not just an apology but maybe something more. Even though he knew now wasn’t the time for such a conversation.

Not now, not yet.


	4. ... because no one else is looking

Rossi opened his eyes slowly, jolted back into consciousness by minor turbulence. He never could sleep well on the jet. He glanced around, taking in the rest of the team. The majority of them were asleep; having been run into the ground on their most recent case. Reid had called dibs on the long sheet and was stretched out, a book on the floor indicating that he had fallen sleep mid-read. JJ was curled up on the seat opposite Reid and had used her jacket as a pillow. Morgan was somehow managing to sleep while sat upright, his head lolling and his headphones somehow still in place as he slept. 

The only members of the team still awake were Hotch and Emily. The latter of whom looked ready to pass out and the former, who was clearly not human if he was still functioning after 85 hours awake. Rossi was about to say something when he noticed something that made him stop. Instead he shut his eyes save for a tiny gap to peek out through. 

He had noticed something he had never thought he’d see in a million years. Hotch and Emily were holding hands. He was just about to wonder what was going on between them, when they answered it for him. It was a brief, gentle kiss but it told him everything he needed to know. It looked like those two finally pulled their heads from their asses and saw what was right in front of them. 

Well, Rossi thought as he slipped back into sleep, good for them. 


End file.
